Summary

This report presents key findings from a recent study looking at the implementation of Unified Assessment (UA) from key stakeholder perspectives, including, older people, their carers and staff working in health and social care organizations. The work was funded by the Wales Office of Research and Development for Health and Social Care.

This research was undertaken in seven study sites across Wales and was informed by a multi-sectoral Project Reference Group. Adopting a qualitative approach, it involved face-to-face interviews with older people and their carers as well as telephone interviews with a broad range of staff that had practice-based experience of UA.

There is a considerable gap between UA policy and UA practice in a number of key areas, including, the implementation of person-centred and outcome-focused approaches, care coordination for older people with complex health and social care needs and the sharing of information between health and social care practitioners.